Espanyol vs Athletic Bilbao preview - Llorente wants Euro spot

Posted Monday, May 02, 2011 by PA

Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente has described the clash with Espanyol as his side's most important of the campaign, believing a victory would secure them a European berth for next season.

Athletic make the trip to the Cornella-El Prat stadium lying six points clear of eighth-placed Espanyol and with just four rounds left after the match, the Basque side could all but make their position in the top seven impregnable with a win.

Llorente said: "It's the most important game of the season for what it could mean. If we win, we will be in Europe. Espanyol are the team who are just outside the European places, and the following week they have to go to the Nou Camp to play Barca, who are playing for the league."

A victory would also see Athletic climb back into fifth place above Atletico Madrid, who beat Deportivo La Coruna last night, although Llorente admits securing a European spot is their primary goal rather than what position they finish in.

"It would be much better if we were fifth (but), regardless of the position that we are, to get into Europe would fulfil an objective and would make it a good season," the Spain striker said.

Midfielder David Lopez, whose side have won three of their last four matches, added: "I want to return from Barcelona with the three points, whether we play well or not."

Whereas Athletic look to have hit form at just the right time in the fight for the European spots, Espanyol appear to be going in the other direction.

Last weekend's 1-0 defeat against Sporting Gijon was Espanyol's ninth loss in their last 13 matches, and left Mauricio Pochettino's men with just two points from their last five games - four of them against teams battling relegation.

Espanyol striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo, who wants to put any talk about his future aside until the end of the season, admits his side cannot afford to slip up against Athletic.

"If we lose it will be very difficult or practically impossible to get into Europe. The only thing that's any use to us is the victory and that's what we're going for. We will give it everything we have on the pitch," he said.